Keywords: CRISPR-Cas; epigenetic mechanisms; miRNA; prostate cancer
Human serine proteases are members of human
tissue kallikrein (KLK) family, which contain 15 homologues
serine proteases (KLK1-KLK15). This family
is encoded by the largest clustered human genome
located on chromosome 19 [
The cancer is initiated and developed in the
prostate gland, part of the male reproductive system
responsible for semen production in the male body
and located inferior to the bladder.[
Stem cells characterization, collected by biopsy of
patients, were carried out using CD44+ α2β1hi CD133+
markers as the phenotype, which unfortunately was
not specific for only cancer stem cells (CSCs).[
This paper reviews past and present studies on epigenetics
and molecular markers of PC, as well as the
designed therapies. Additionally, we present a future
vision and prospect of the current treatments.
miRNA and DNA Methylation in PC
There are regions called CpG islands, which are located
there high rate repetition cytosine and guanine
base pairs in the human genome. CpG islands mostly
take part in promotor regions of a gene. In these regions, methylation occurs when attaching methyl
(-CH3) to cytosine's fifth carbon. Abnormal situations,
such as hypomethylation and hypermethylation, cause
fall into decay cell functions, such as cell differentiation,
cell division, and cell proliferation.[
Recent studies related to miRNA show that miRNA
genes are situated near to CpG islands. In conclusion,
methylation of the CpG islands will affect the expression
of miRNAs.[
We can denote miRNA-152 as a sample to relationship
miRNA and DNA methylation. In normal
conditions, miRNA-152 prevent the expression of
DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 1 (DNTM1) by
targeting 3" UTR region of the DNMT1 gene. When
DNMT1 expression and DNA methylation are lower,
the gene is an expression. Studies with cell lines of PC
show that methylation depending on increase DNMT1
expression down-regulate miRNA-152. Thus, the gene
expression that serves a function in cell differentiation,
cell division, and cell proliferation is prevented.[
miRNA and Histone Deacetylation in PC
We can denote miRNA-449a as a sample to relationship
miRNA and HDAC. In normal conditions, when
expression miRNA-449, its down-regulate HDAC1,
which brings on activation of p27/kip1 transcription,
which causes cell proliferation. Studies with cell lines of
PC show that down-regulation of miRNA-449a cause
to up-regulation of HDAC1. Because of the HDCA1,
up-regulation activation of p27/kip1 transcription
causes cell proliferation out of control.[
Genetic Propensity and Markers of PC
P53, also known as TP53, which protects against
tumorgenesis, is observed to be increased in malignant
and untreated PC, rather than primary or treated ones.
[
miRNAs as Biomarkers in PC
Up-regulation of miR-21 has been found to be correlated
with down-regulation of miR-15 and mirR-16
as well as overexpression of TGF-β signalling due to
suppression of SMAD7 (Mothers against decapentaplegic
homolog 7 leads to degradation of TGF-β and
inhibits hedgehog signalling), which leads to AR hyper-
activation result in the bone lesion in PC.[
Other miRNAs expressed rather significant volume
changes in response to tumurgenesis. To demonstrate,
miR-152-3p in LNCaP and PC3 were analyzed in vitro.
The result indicated a low miR-152-3p level of tumour
cells compared to healthy control cells. However, the
same analysis experimented with the effects of highlevelmiR-
152-3p mimic on tumour cells, which resulted
in a great deal of proliferation and metastasis presenting
external effects of the above-mentioned miRNA
on tumurogenesis.[
In PC cancer patients, cfDNA (cell-free DNA) is
released from apoptotic cells as nucleosomes from
both healthy and diseased tissue that includes tumor
cells, as well as microbial nucleic acids from systemic infections.[
Prostate Cancer Therapy
Apoptosis as a Cancer Therapy (Apoptosis as Therapeutic
means in PC?)
Genetic Material into a Target Cell as Cancer Therapy
Re-activation of Tumor Growth as a Cancer Therapy
Gene Editing and Activation Tumor suppressor
Genes with Silencing RNA
Adenoviral Vector- mediated Gene Therapy
Arafat et al. experimented the same combined (adenovirus
and radiotherapy) or sole effect of using other
types of adenoviruses as a vector (TRA-8 or Ad TRAIL
(adenoviral encoding TRAIL)) in Human PC cell lines
(LNCaP, PC-3 and DU-145) in vitro and colony-forming
assay and RT-PCR were employed to determine
cells" growth and genetic changes. In addition to in
vitro studies, in vivo study using murine injected subcutaneously
with PC cells was carried out which presented
higher efficiency and lower cancer cell survival
in combination therapy (vector combined with radiotherapy)
rather than single treatment only Evaluated
by elevation of BAX protein (responsible for apoptosis)
and eventually apoptosis of cancer cells.[
miRNAs as Therapeutic Means in PC
ASOs (antisense oligonucleotides) via liposomal
complexes and SMIR (small molecule inhibitors of
miRNAs), which are designed based on the function
of other molecules used for other disease therapies.
They are used to target miRNAs. miRNAs have the
ability to inhibit function other miRNAs that express
the same see sequence, which is not seen with ASOs
and is considered as an advantage of using miRNAs
over antisense oligonucleotides. The SMIR approach
aims to find compounds that bind and subsequently
decrease the levels of mature miRNAs; however, such
compounds can principally function to prevent transcription.[
Scientists designed other types of miRNA, known
as miRNA sponge, which consists of numbers of binding
sites (4-10) containing antisense or mismatched
nucleotides, which will result in cleavage by argonaute
RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) when completely
base-paired. The efficacy of miRNA sponge lies
in two factors as follows: the binding site affinity and
the ratio of miRNA sponge concentration to the ratio
of mRNA targets.[
Studies have reported miR-185 as a tumor suppressor
factor, was observed to be down-regulated in PC.
Therefore, studies have been carried out to present
miR-185 as a therapeutic mean for PA. miR-185, used
along with bromodomain 8 isoform 2 (BRD8 ISO2) on
PC3 and LNCaP, inhibited expression of androgen receptors
(AR) directly by binding to the 3"- UTR region
of AR mRNA.[
In addition to miRNA therapy, immunotherapy has
expressed quite impressive results in cancer therapy
that include vaccine therapy, which was administered
in 2012 using the DNA fusion vaccine in PC cases.
The designed vaccine consisted of the domain (DOM)
from fragment C of tetanus toxin linked to an HLAA2-
binding epitope from prostate-specific membrane
antigen (PSMA) and induced DOM-specific CD4 and
PSMA-specific CD8 T cells, generating anti-PSMA
responses in most of the individuals suffering from
PC.[
Studies about preventing activation of HDAC enzymes
with HDAC inhibitors are carried out. HDAC
inhibitors precluding activation of the HDAC enzyme
may change gen expression. Recent cancer studies
showed that inhibition of HDAC enzymes activate inactive
G2 checkpoint starts apoptosis. Cell stimulated
for apoptosis is stopped in G1 and G2 phases. Thus, cell
proliferation is blocked.[
miRNA expression has an important role in
HDAC enzyme functions. Studies showed that with
HDAC inhibitors affected the miRNA expression levels.(
Table
Current Studies in PC: CRISPR-Cas System
(CRISPR-Cas as Therapeutic Means in PC)
The system works via RNA. Therefore, this system is
called an immune system via RNA.[
The double-strand break occurs in target DNA.
Because there is no compensation for this situation,
the virus loses its function. Scientists have developed
applications, such as gene silencing [with double-
strand break] (knock out) and gene splice [with a
donor constituting homology to target DNA sequence]
(knock-in) using this property of the system. Thus,
the CRISPR-Cas system is an inspiration for diagnosis
and treatment in hereditary diseases, such as cancer.
Consequently, change of arrays, such as insertion and
deletion, in the gene region which they want to work is
possible.[
Studies on cancer show that epigenetic mechanisms are
effective above cancer prognosis. miRNAs have been
demonstrated that play a role in epigenetic mechanisms,
such as DNA methylation and histone deacetylation
(HDAC).[
miRNA and HDAC relationship is affecting the regulatory
roles of epigenetic mechanism.[
Various genome-wide association studies (GWASs)
implicate single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) to be responsible for PC initiation.[
microRNAs, also known as miRNAs, are small, noncoding
endogenous RNA molecules that are found in
eukaryotes, as well as some viruses. They have been
found to play a key role in RNA regulations and diagnosis
of various diseases on account of their circulation
in body fluids.[
Over the past few decades, PC has attracted the attention
of researchers working in this area considering its
mortality rate in men, specifically in developed countries.
Therefore, efforts have increased towards an efficient
means of therapy.[
One of the major observations on cancer cells is their
evasion from apoptosis. Studies demonstrate the presence
of Fas and FasL (Fas ligand) mediating apoptosis
in PC cells. However, resistance to such apoptosis
was observed.[
Gene therapy, defined as the introduction of genetic
material into a target cell for therapeutic benefit, is a
very promising treatment for many diseases, including
cancer. To date, more than 2000 clinical trials employing
gene transfer have taken place, and in general,
many vehicles or vectors have been established as safe.
[
In prostate tumours, re-activation of tumor growth
has been observed in receptor-dependent androgen
state, which may induce apoptosis of these cells by
pro-apoptotic over-expressing tumor necrosis factor
(TNF).[
Short interfering or silencing RNA (siRNA) was found
to enhance the gene editing and activation of tumor
suppressor genes and suppression of anti-apoptotic
proteins in PC therapy. In a study, they transfected PC
cell lines with siRNA molecules, treated with atecollagen, which facilitates the absorption of siRNA into
tumor cells. The aim of this experiment was to reduce
expression anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-xL, which is over
expressed in PC both in vitro and in vivo.[
Some other studies observed the effects of adenoviral
vector- mediated gene therapy followed by radiotherapy,
which was applied to 178-2 BMA and TSUPr1
cells in vitro to observe the colony formation of cells
and their apoptosis process which led to tumor control
with higher efficiency.[
As previously discussed, miRNAs play a vital role in
PC recognition and diagnosis. However, their function
is far more than just a biomarker. Various studies
analyzed different miRNAs" effects in the treatment of
PC in-vitro, in vivo and in silico.[
CRISPR-Cas is a system that prokaryotes (84% archaea
and 45% bacteria) ensure gaining adaptive immunity
against viruses.[
Genetic mutations are known to give rise to cancer. The epigenetic mechanisms which increase importance day by day and affect the structure of DNA play an important role in the pathogenesis of cancer.
As we understand the epigenetic mechanisms of PC better, we better modelling, which becomes a success in treatment will be.
miRNAs play a role in the epigenetic mechanism of cancer. When considering studies, we are clearly seen an important role in the therapeutic applications for PC.
Studies on the pathogenesis of the disease can be summarized in two steps as follows:
a. Modelling to better understand the pathogenesis of
the disease.
b. Design of the therapeutic studies with different options
for the treatment of the disease in consideration
of the modelling.
The information which we have on the effects of epigenetic mechanisms involved in the progress of cancer
is not yet at the desired level.
In particular, the use of miRNAs as a biomarker for
therapies that are developed based on affecting epigenetic
mechanisms is far away from the desired level.
Thus, cohort studies that include genomic and epigenetic
analyses are needed.
Peer-review: Externally peer-reviewed.
Conflict of Interest: Authors declare no conflict of interest.
Financial Support: No financial support has been used for this study.